On Nov. 30, Yosemite National Park received its first major winter snow, with 27 inches falling in some areas. Lake Tahoe ski resorts also reported most mountains open for skiing, with the greatest base depth at nearly 5 feet on Dec. 10. The before photos were taken Nov. 20 and the after photos on Dec. 2 by NASA’s Terra satellite. Mammoth Mountain has recorded nearly 6 feet of snow at the summit this season.

The white stuff is good news for the fire-ravaged and drought-stricken state. Mountain snowpack provides about 30 percent of the yearly fresh water supply for California.